Barrel-head.



No. 744,499. PATENTED Nov. 17, 1903.

' ,-B. E. DAVENPORT.

BARREL HEAD.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 16.1903.

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UNITED STATES- Patented November 17, 1903.-

PATENT OFFICE.

COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF 'OF DENVER, COLORADO.

BARREL-HEAD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Iatent No. 744,499, dated November 17, 1903.

Application filed July it, 1903.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it'known that I, ELMER E. DAVENPORT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver city, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Barrel Heads, of which the following is a specification.

This i nvention relates to barrel-headswhich can be placed in position within the end of a barrel or taken out without removing or displacing the hoops of said barrel; and the objects are to provide a barrel-head of simple construction which can be placed in barrels of ordinary construction and which can be opened to inspect the goods therein without removing the whole head. I attain these objects'by the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichv Figure 1 is a top view of a barrel-head constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same on line a: a: of Fig. 1, said head being located within the upper end of the staves of a barrel. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the head on line y y of Fig. 1, said head being also within the upper end of the staves of a barrel. Fig. 4 is a top view of the three pieces used to form the central portion of the top of the head. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section of the head on line 2 z of Fig. 1.

In said drawings, A A represent two substantially crescent-shaped boards of the barrel-head, each having a concave inner edge 1 and which when in position form toward the .ends two wedge-shaped openings 2 and a substantially quadrangular opening 3 in the center. The tapering openings are to receive wedges I), having the same thickness as the boards A and extending the whole length of said openings to close them tightly. The inner edges of boards A, forming the wedgeshaped openings 2, are provided with grooves to receive the tongues d, formed on the edges of the wedgesD. The central opening 3 is sufficiently wide to permit the introduction of the wedges and their tongues endwise into their seats between the boards A to spread them apart and force the beveled edges of said boards into the croze or groove formed Serial noileasis. on model.)

in the staves O. To retain the wedges spread apart, a substantially quadrangular board E is placed between them with its narrow ends abutting against the wedges. board E anchored in position, there is a thin board F placed within the barrel, the ends of which are supported on small cleats G, nailed to the staves of the barrel a short distance below the croze, and a few tacks e are driven through the board E into the board F. Said board F is slightly wider than the board E to form a tight closure against the boards A, and the bottom portion of the long edges of the board F are beveled-or rounded to preventinjury to fruit which may be placed within the barrel.

To close the barrel after having nailed the two small cleats G to the staves, the ends of the boards F are made to rest upon said cleats.

'?are made to engage with the croze of the staves, their inner edges resting upon the The two bevel edges of the two boards A into engagement with their seats in the boards A, and the board E is placedin position with its-ends against the wedges and a few tacks e driven through the board E into the board F, which closes the operation.

To open the barrel, the edge of a hatchet or of a screw-driver is inserted between the edge of the board E, and the latter is lifted out of position. Each wedge D is then pushed toward the'space vacated by the board E by inserting the end of a screwdriver or of a small strip of wood or of metal against the shoulder of a small pocket 10, formed in the top of the wedges, and using a mallet to strike the upper end of said strip. Either one or both of the boards A can then be easily removed.

Having now fully described my invention, I claim shaped boards having a concave inner edge and grooves in their straight ends, with two wedges having the same thickness as said grooves the whole length thereof, and two superposed boards E and F nailed together,

board F. The two wedges D are then forced l 1. A barrel-head consisting of two crescent-- To retain the inner edge of one of the boards A and the crescent boards and in engagement with said IOO the upper board having parallel sides and alsothe same thickness as the crescent boards ends, said ends to retain the wedges outand its ends bearing against the wedges, and

wardly substantially as described. a bottom board F nailed to the board E, sub- 2. In a barrel-head the combination of two stantially as described. 7 5 crescent-shaped boards having a concave in- In testimony whereof I affix my signature 15 ner edge leading to straight ends grooved and in presence of two witnesses. taperingontwardly toward each other,wedges ELMER E. DAVEN PORT. having the same thickness as the crescent WVitnesses: boards and secured in the grooves of the ta- 0. JOHNSON,

1o pering ends, a central upper board E having JOHN W. BROWN. 

